English as a Medium of Instruction in Postcolonial Contexts

Almost all low- and middle-income postcolonial countries now use English or another dominant language as the medium of instruction for some, if not all, of the basic education cycle. Much of the literature about language-in-education in such countries has focused on the instrumentalist value of English, on one side, and the rights of learners to high quality mother tongue-based education, on the other. The polarised nature of the debate has tended to leave issues related to the processes of learning in English as a Medium Instruction (EMI) classrooms under-researched. This book aims to provide a greater understanding of the existing challenges for learners and educators and potential strategies that can support more effective teaching and learning in EMI classrooms. Contributions illustrate the impact that learning in English has on learners in a range of regional, national and local contexts and put forward theoretical and empirical analyses to support more relevant and inclusive educational policies. This volume was originally published as a special issue of Comparative Education.

Lizzie O. Milligan is a Lecturer in International Education at the University of Bath, UK. Her research focuses on issues of social justice, rights and educational quality in low income countries. She particularly explores the disjuncture between policy and practice and the impact this has on inequalities in learning experiences and outcomes. Recent work has considered this in relation to language of instruction, educational resources and gender. Leon Tikly is Professor in Education at the School of Education, University of Bristol, UK. His areas of expertise are in the quality of education in low income countries, including a focus on medium of instruction and in the achievement of Black and Minority Ethnic learners in the UK and in Europe.

Introduction. English as a medium of instruction in postcolonial contexts: moving the debate forward 1. Language choice and education quality in Eastern and Southern Africa: a review 2. Medium of instruction policies in Ghanaian and Indian primary schools: an overview of key issues and recommendations 3. English-medium instruction in an English-French bilingual setting: issues of quality and equity in Cameroon 4. Exploring the potential for language supportive learning in English medium instruction: a Rwandan case study 5. Learning through the medium of English in multilingual South Africa: enabling or disabling learners from low income contexts? 6. Improving the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction in sub-Saharan Africa 7. English as a medium of instruction in East Asia's higher education sector: a critical realist Cultural Political Economy analysis of underlying logics 8. Re-interpreting relevant learning: an evaluative framework for secondary education in a global language 9. Language-in-education policy in low-income, postcolonial contexts: towards a social justice approach